CCHR public forum in Kompong Trolach district, Kompong Chhnang province (Photo: Sok Serei, RFA)CCHR public forum in K Chhnang was threatened with shut down
24 July 2007
By Sok Serei
Radio Free Asia
Translated from Khmer by Socheata
A public forum organized for the first time by the Cambodian Center for Human Rights (CCHR) to allow Cambodian Muslims living in Kompong Trolach district, Kompong Chhnang province, to express freely their opinions, on Tuesday, was threatened and forced to shut down when a group of Cambodian Muslims raised the issue of land disputes and they accused the authority of not resolving this problem. A representative of the authority accused that such issue is out of the topics with which CCHR requested the authority to organize this forum for.
Taing Saroeun, the deputy governor of the Kompong Trolach district, who participated in the forum, told RFA that he received a call from the district governor, and the Kompong Chhnang provincial governor telling him that if the opinions expressed are outside of the topics requested, the authority has the right to order the shutdown or cancel the forum immediately.
He said: “In their talk, they were not telling the truth on a large number of issues. I requested to CCHR that whatever they do, they have to say it clearly…”
In response to this threat, Ou Virak, CCHR President, said: “The population is being oppressed by the authority. Even CCHR is facing this problem like them, we are being oppressed, and we face a number of problems for the organization (of public forums) in Kompong Chhnang province.”
Ou Virak added that he will organize such forums in Muslim mosques in the future in order to avoid such discriminations in the future.
Chhim Savuth, the facilitator for the forum, sent a request to the local authority in Kompong Chhnang province to organize this forum, he was threatened and ordered to shut it down. Nevertheless, the forum was pursued until the end, at noon time on Tuesday.
This is the very first time that a public forum organized by CCHR behind a Muslim mosque in O’Roung village, Chhouk Sar commune, Kompong Trolach district, Kompong Chhnang province, was threatened in this manner. The forum was attended by about 50 Cambodian Muslims, young and old, men and women. The small forum was organized to inform people about land problems.
The main issue brought up during the forum discussion was focused on a land dispute on 24-hectare property involving about 23 families. The group of Cambodian Muslims who participated in the forum said that such forum is very useful to them.
Run Loh, a Cambodian Muslim from Chhouk Sar commune, said: “Since my great grandparents and grandparents time, Cambodian Muslims never have any rights, we have some rights but they are not full rights.”
Ou Virak publicly recognized that because of discriminations, CCHR has decided to organize forums allowing Cambodian Muslims to have the rights to express their opinions.
Taing Saroeun, the deputy governor of the Kompong Trolach district, who participated in the forum, told RFA that he received a call from the district governor, and the Kompong Chhnang provincial governor telling him that if the opinions expressed are outside of the topics requested, the authority has the right to order the shutdown or cancel the forum immediately.
He said: “In their talk, they were not telling the truth on a large number of issues. I requested to CCHR that whatever they do, they have to say it clearly…”
In response to this threat, Ou Virak, CCHR President, said: “The population is being oppressed by the authority. Even CCHR is facing this problem like them, we are being oppressed, and we face a number of problems for the organization (of public forums) in Kompong Chhnang province.”
Ou Virak added that he will organize such forums in Muslim mosques in the future in order to avoid such discriminations in the future.
Chhim Savuth, the facilitator for the forum, sent a request to the local authority in Kompong Chhnang province to organize this forum, he was threatened and ordered to shut it down. Nevertheless, the forum was pursued until the end, at noon time on Tuesday.
This is the very first time that a public forum organized by CCHR behind a Muslim mosque in O’Roung village, Chhouk Sar commune, Kompong Trolach district, Kompong Chhnang province, was threatened in this manner. The forum was attended by about 50 Cambodian Muslims, young and old, men and women. The small forum was organized to inform people about land problems.
The main issue brought up during the forum discussion was focused on a land dispute on 24-hectare property involving about 23 families. The group of Cambodian Muslims who participated in the forum said that such forum is very useful to them.
Run Loh, a Cambodian Muslim from Chhouk Sar commune, said: “Since my great grandparents and grandparents time, Cambodian Muslims never have any rights, we have some rights but they are not full rights.”
Ou Virak publicly recognized that because of discriminations, CCHR has decided to organize forums allowing Cambodian Muslims to have the rights to express their opinions.
1 comment:
Cambodia is yet in dictatorship country
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